Experience at JSO

Officer Rutherford started out as a patrolman in 1974 and rose to the rank of Captain. He has commanded a number of divisions, including Arson, Burglary, the Police Academy and Patrol on the Southside.

He also served as Chief of Services, Traffic and Special Operations, and Chief of Patrol.[1]

As Chief of Services, Chief of Traffic/Special Operations and Chief of Patrol, where he commanded over 700 uniformed officers.[2]

In 1995, Rutherford was appointed as Director of Corrections under then-Sheriff Nat Glover and held that title for 8 years.

In 2006 Sheriff Rutherford started the HITZ Program to stop transient nuisance crimes and help transient substance abusing persons into treatment rather than prison.[3]

Rutherford instituted programs in which officers walked the beat downtown,[4] Operation Safe Streets, Gun Bounty Rewards and a Public Awareness Campaign with Billboard, Radio and TV commercials.[5] Initiatives also include; Intelligence Lead Policing, Community Problem Solving and Continuous Improvement through LEAN concepts. By 2011 the City of Jacksonville was enjoying a forty year low in crime.

Politics

In February, 2003, a campaign violation complaint was filed by a City Council candidate alleging violations of the Federal Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits employees working for federally funded agencies from running for office in partisan elections. Rutherford consulted a lawyer, and was told there was no conflict, but retired anyway, in order to remove any doubt, with 28 years of service.[6]

Elections

Rutherford campaigned for Duval County sheriff, running against fellow Republicans David Anderson and Lem Sharp. In the election on April 15, 2003, Rutherford won 135,038 votes, 78 percent of the total. He took office on July 1, 2003.

Personal

Rutherford is married to his wife, Patricia. They have two children (Alicia and Michael) and five grand children, Michela, Hannah, Maria Vittoria, Kiera and John-Carlo. In an interview prior to his first election in 2003, he was asked what voters would be surprised to know about John Rutherford. His reply: "I'm still a surfer."